Barrington Hills Village President Robert Abboud, not up for election this year, took exception to parts of the article run earlier. What follows is his email:
Cal:
I read your blog entailed “Hot Village Board Race in Barrington Hills “. There are several items that concern me about the accuracy of your reporting. I am somewhat surprised you did not do a better job of fact checking before posting your blog.
Barrington Hills Village Board President makes presentation to the McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee about his 2008 congressional campaign against Republican Don Manzullo
First, the Save5acres group is not running as a party but rather as a loosely connected slate of independents. They are as independent as Mr. (David) Stieper. They are listed as INDEPENDENT on the ballot. This race is decidedly about whether developers will unwind the unique zoning in our community.
It is the so-called ‘Common Sense Party’ that is not independent and heavily financed by developers and outside interests. (See SBOE filings). Note that CSP has not registered any candidates per a loop hole for new Tea Parties but intended by the campaign finance law.
Second, Mr. Stieper’s literature falsely suggests that the Village approves budgets and spends money without the majority pre-approval of the Board of Trustees. The Village manages money strictly according to state statute. Please see the attached mailing I sent him on 2/22/2011 when I discovered he was fostering this non-sense. I have since noticed him a second time asking him to be ethical and accurate. To date he has refused to do so. I hope you will call him out on this.
Third, your anonymous commenter at the end of your article accuses my previous campaign, and by proxy the current Save5Acre campaign, as being “vicious”. I would challenge you to demonstrate any “vicious” activity or messaging by my campaign or that of Save5Acres in either of these elections. It is Ms. Wamberg and her party, fueled by developers, that has fostered the negative rant, false information, and disruption in our community.
The Lighting Ordinance issue was resolved some time ago with the Village Board approving an INCREASE in allowable lighting. Principally the allowance of lighting for play areas such as tennis courts, pools, and the like. Only the HALO / CSP people voted against this. One might ask, why would the HALO / CSP group vote against expanding the allowances of property owners – the very thing they polluted our Village with horse urine colored signs for. I suggest that their efforts had nothing to do with the ordinance and were entirely political. I see you failed to report on these aspects in your mention of the Ordinance.
Finally, I have included a bit of background information from a couple of years ago to address a number of frequently asked questions that may be helpful to you.
I enjoy reading your blog. But I am at the least troubled by your reporting of events in Barrington Hills. I expect you to report accurately and with attribution of your sources who make such wild claims. While you expect transparency from government, we in Barrington Hills expect the same transparency from you.
Please let me know if you have any further questions about our very unique Village. Please feel free to print my letter in your blog.
Best Regards.
Bob A.
It reads “Hi, I’m Bob and wealthy and really ticked off there is any organized opposition.”
In one part Bob writes how the other side is strictly following the law but Bob smears it as a “loophole.”
When a Democrat acts indignant and asks the othe side to be ethical, it shows how laughable he is.
Wasn’t Bob happy to have union advocates smearing Don Manzullo when he ran against him? Democrats practice viscious politicking which is showed in the streets of Madison. They have their union allies do it while pretending they are ethical.
Bob’s a fan of Obamacare and letting public unions abuse the taxpayers.
“the very thing they polluted our Village with horse urine colored signs for.”
Other than wondering why he doesn’t utilize grammar check, I’m wondering what does he have against horses…and against the residents he is supposed to be representing speaking their mind.
Status quo has been…Bob makes rules in Bob’s best interest, majority of trustees mechanically approve such rules because they are all either getting something in return or are afraid of his napoleon bully tactics, and the village is blissfully unaware.
Until one of these rules is called to light by residents who actually pay attention and word of mouth spreads so that others become actively engaged in the process and speak their minds. This is what makes our country so great!
Sadly Bob doesn’t like to be challenged and anyone who does so is called names and is a victim of Bob’s slander and smear campaign.
Ah politics…..is it 2012 yet???
Bye Bye Bob….
It is humorous to note that when you go to a “non-sense” pep rally and you are known to be from the “other side” you are asked to leave.
You might ask questions that they have no answer for or worse yet, point out that the members of the “non-sense party” lack the ability to govern from lack of village knowledge.
And “oh God” if you mention that they have funding from out of village developers, that are drooling at the feathering process, you would be tared and feathered!
That new guy, Stieper, is going to give the god ol boys a real RUN for their money or shall I say the developers money…..lol
I attended a Common Sense informational meeting where Mr. Abboud’s mother was in attendance along with a ZBA member whose husband is the president of the Polo Club.
Each were treated with respect, as were all people in attendance.
In fact, the ZBA member made her own ‘statement’ at the end of this meeting.
Contrary to Jim’s accusations, the Common Sense party had well-reasoned, legally and business sound responses to all questions asked of them and allowed an open forum for all community residents, even those “from the ‘other side'” to eat, drink, and ask questions.
This is a wonderful community that should be embracing the ideas of all of its constituents rather than pandering to special interests and engaging in name calling and mud slinging.
“the Save5acres group is not running as a party but rather as a loosely connected slate of independents. They are as independent as Mr. (David) Stieper.”
What a liar you are and have been, Mr. Abboud. The Save 5 Acres consisted of Selmer (your Village Clerk), Mesmer (your board member whose legal advice I’m sure you obtain regularly), and Meroni, one of your equestrian members (who most believe run the Village along with you for their own selfish desires), and Meroni has a big, nasty mouth and is about as qualified to run Roads and Bridges as a six year old.
None of this motley crew revealed their positions in their sham of a campaign to undermine and throw a wrench in the Common Sense Party’s ability to win the election.
Your actions and then lies are despicable, but so typical of you. I regret the day I ever voted you into office, as you have done nothing but spent inordinate amounts of Village money on your misguided, one-upmanship, control freak actions in the Duda Case (which you lost, and lost over a million in legal fees of our money). You are far from fair and impartial in your position. You need to be kicked out of office; no, actually impeached.